The BL RAG is dedicated to the idea of free expression, thus we welcome and encourage reader commentary on current events and issues, music, sports, or other topics of interest, no matter what one's political leanings or worldview.

Entries in Aircraft
(309)

Flights of fancy sometimes lead to more useful inventions, airplanes being a perfect example. The Douglas DC-3, which went into service in 1936, is one of the most successful aircraft ever to come off the drawing board, and many of them are still operational today.

Let's pay a visit to one of the passengers:

Well...it seems he isn't saying much--perhaps he suffers from some flight phobia...

The German HE-111 bomber was developed in the years preceding World War II, in violation of the Versailles treaty that ended World War I. To get around the treaty, Germany claimed that it was a transport aircraft. Because of this, it was referred to as the 'wolf in sheep's clothing':

We into yet another week of World War II aircraft, and again this week, the main focus will be on bombing aircraft used in the Eurpoean theater. I will be swamped with activities for the next five days, so the written narration will be kept to a minimum. Also, since most of this week's videos are forty-five minutes to an hour in length, only one per day will be shown. We'll start with a look at Allied boming missions:

A number of B-24s were missing on the return, and those that did come back were not in the best of shape, but if their crews could make it to the ground and safely disembark, they could return tomorrow for another mission...

Unless they are powered by rockets, most things that go up must come down. And most aircraft are designed to land upon a runway upon solid earth, but this B-24 tries a different approach and lands on water instead:

The B-25 Mitchell was named in honor the court-marshaled U.S. Army general, Billy Mitchell, who advocated the expanded use of military airpower in the years following World War I. This old newsreel provides some flying tips for the airplane:

We have still another week with World War II aircraft, the focus for the next five days being on American bombers used in the European theater. And for the most part, actual footage from the period is used. We'll start with the most famous American bomber of the war, the B-17: